Shock-absorbing mechanism



E. H. SCHMIDT SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 51 1923 26246/12222', )Hm W:

Immllwl I' ki/Mr /xsmlt 16 BY @www w A TTORNE Y Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITI-:D STATES PATENT ori-'loa ERNEST H. SCHMIDT, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Application led January 31, 1923, Serial No. 616,003. Renewed June 20, 1924.

T 0 all wlw-m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 isa side elevation, partly in section, of a shock absorbing mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism, but with the follower wedge removed; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the mechanism; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on lines 4 4: and 5-5 of Fig.l 3 showing, respectively, the forward side of the base and the rear side of the intermediate follower.

My invention relates to shock absorbing mechanism, and particularly to friction draft gears for railway vehicles of the type shown in Letters Patent No. 1,301,809 of C. K. Brooks and E. H. Schmidt granted April 29, 1919. The present invention is especially adapted for cars' in which there is not room for a draft gear of the usual length, but my improvements are, of course,`applicable to gears in which space limitations are not important. My 1mproved gear provides means for strengthening the connection between the central friction member and the base, an improved buffmg stop, a new spring arrangement and housing therefor, and also consists in the various features which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates the central friction member having a broad base of resistance 3 and outwardly radiating arms 4 with reentrant angles between them, which have friction faces 5 intended to be engaged by the friction shoes 6. The friction shoes 6 bear at their inner ends against an intermediate follower 7 and at their outer ends against a wedge follower 8.

Thebase 3 has a strengthening wall 9 extending forwardly from its forward face, into the forward edge and sides of which are mer ed at 10 two of the arms 4 of the central iction member 2, which dare outwardly as they near their juncture with the base. The base 3 also has deep recesses or pockets 11 on its forward face for the reception of the compression springs 12, of

which I have shown four sets. These recesses are arranged so as not to weaken the vjuncture between centr-.1l friction member 2 and base 3. The metal in the reentrant angles between the arms is also reenforced and flared outwardly at the rear end of the central member 2 so as to form additional strengthening webs 13 connected to the base.

The intermediate follower 7 has a rea-rwardly directed strengthening rib 14 within which are formed sockets 15 for reception of the forward ends of the springs 12. The follower 7 is also further strengthened by extending the sides forwardly in an arch construction 16 with intermediate ribs 17 to reenforce it against bending stressesset up by the pressure of the friction shoes which is applied near its center and by the bearing of the four springs near its four corners on the opposite side thereof.

The intermediate follower is also apertured for the retaining rods 18, whichsecure the base 3 and the follower wedge 8 together.

The strengthening and thickening of the central friction member as described above are particularly for the purpose of enabling it totransmt excessive buiing and draft stresses therethrough after the gear goes solid, since such stresses are transmitted directly from the forward end of the `central friction member to the thickened* central web 19 of the follower wedge.

My improved gear is extremely rugged and compact and is designed to develop maximum strength in an extremely small space because of the merging of the liaring rear end of the central member into the reenforcement of the base, the arrangement of springs, the design of the intermediate follower, and the taking up of over-solid glows directly on the central friction 'mem- The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that varions structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is: l. A shock absorbing mechanism comprising a central friction member having a broad, flat base of resistance and outwardly radiating arms, friction shoes arranged between said arms having a friction bearing thereon, followers engaging the ends of said shoes, one of said followers and the said base having aligned pockets therein for housing a plurality of compression springs arranged in parallel with the axis of said central member.

2. A shock absorbing mechanism comprising a central friction member having a broad, flat base of resistance and outwardly radiating` arms, friction shoes arranged between said arms having a -friction bearing thereon, followers engaging' the ends of said shoes, conipression springs bearing on said base and on one of said followers. the said base also having a forwardly projecting rcenforcing flange into which merge rearwardly flaring ends of a plurality of said arms.

3. A shock absorbing mechanism comprising a central friction member having a broad, flat base of resistance and outwardly radiating arms, friction shoes arranged between said arms having a friction bearing thereon, followers engaging the ends of said shoes, the said base having a flange projecting forwardly from its edges and forming with webs extending radially from the axis of the central member pockets for reception of rear ends of compression springs, the

said springs having bearings at their forward ends against one of said followers.

4. A shock absorbing mechanism comprising a central friction member having a, broad. flat base of resistance and outwardly radiating arms, friction shoes arraiwed between said arms having a friction )caring thereon, follox 'ers engaging the ends of said shoes, compression spring mechanism bearing on said base and on one of said followers, the other of Said followers having a rcenforced central section forming a limiting stop against which the forward end of the central member comes into bearing to protect the mechanism against over-solid blows.

5. A shock absorbing mechanism comprising a central friction member having a broad, flat base of resistance and outwardly radiating arms, friction shoes arranged bctween said arms having a friction bearing there-on, followers engaging the ends of said shoes, compression springs between said base and the follower to the rear of said shoes, the said follower having on one face bearings for the springs equidistant from the axis of the follower and on the other face bearings for the friction shoes displaced axially from the bearing of the springs, and strengthening ribs arranged to reenforce the follower against the bending moment developed from stresses applied thereto from the bearing of Said springs and shoes.

ERNEST H. QCHMIDT. 

